


cain, heir apparent

by Radio Rascal (Vagrants)



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, ビーストウォーズII 超生命体トランスフォーマー Beast Wars II: Chō Seimeitai Transformer
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, offscreen death of a major character, offscreen murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23419813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vagrants/pseuds/Radio%20Rascal
Summary: Starscream finds himself unable to do anything about it when Megastorm gets what he wants.
Kudos: 10





	cain, heir apparent

Starscream found Megastorm outside, sitting on the ship's hull. He stopped short, drawing his fists close to his sides, fearful that if he lost control for a moment he might do something regrettable. Now wasn't the time.

"Megastorm," Starscream started, stepping forward. "Sir, you can't sit up here forever."

"Ah...Starscream." Megastorm lifted his head a little, but didn't look over nor move anything else. "Why? Do you need me for something?"

"You know I don't," Starscream snapped. "Regardless, you're what we have now. None of us are leaders, or have any idea what he was planning. Come collect your spoils."

Megastorm sighed, for a moment sounding far more ancient than he was. "I never…"

Starscream approached, and each yard he walked he felt another degree of furious heat boil around his spark.

"I never thought," Megastorm said numbly, "my brother could actually die," and he crumpled over, like scrap metal being crushed in a compactor, "much less by my hand."

There was a break in Starscream's anger. Confusion edged into him, overtaking his smartly-contained rage, because he couldn't fathom anyone being that stupid. This was their new leader? Starscream's spark ached for Galvatron; it had ached so much it already felt like an old wound. His anger returned under a different form, shaped like resentment now.

"It was just…some dumb game." Megastorm pressed his helm into an open palm. "I wanted him out of the way, and he was so tough. I thought he could take anything so I didn't think about it."

_ You just had to test that theory, didn't you? _

"You have to believe me, Starscream. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Your intentions don't matter." Starscream narrowed his optics. "If you don't return to the bridge in half an hour, I'll assume you've abandoned your duties."

"Fine." Megastorm shrugged. "I don't even know what Galvatron's end game was here. It always felt random to me, you know? Coming to this planet, harvesting all this weird stuff out of the ground endlessly, just hoarding it for some reason. I never had any clear idea of the goal. I don’t think it matters whether I'm here or not."

Starscream stood directly behind Megastorm, his shadow falling across him. If Megastorm had any suspicion about what kinds of thoughts were maelstroming around Starscream's head, he was completely accepting or at least didn't care. It was more likely that he lacked the awareness to even consider that his life was in danger. The thought made Starscream swell with fury again. Maybe he should give the young master a rude surprise.

It didn't happen. Starscream stood there for five minutes waiting for himself to give in, but he didn't or couldn't. He kept thinking about what Galvatron might say—how he might react to seeing his own little brother, murdered by a fellow Destron, trudging into the Afterspark with his head low and defeated.

No, Megastorm had to live. Once Starscream realized this, his frame went slack and he stepped back, now trying to shift perspective. The effort, combined with the day's events and all the emotional expenditure, made him suddenly and violently sleepy. It was too much for his processor to take.

"Remember. Half an hour." Starscream turned on his heel and walked away.

"I'm sorry," Megastorm said. "I'm sorry, Starscream."

"Apologize to the one you hurt," Starscream intoned back. He descended into the ship, and much later would reflect on how that was the last time he ever heard Megastorm's voice.

Maybe he just ran away, or maybe he followed after Galvatron, ever seeking approval by copying his brother; either way, Starscream never saw him again, and learned to count on such small blessings in the years to come.

The ship sat empty. Starscream and the others were still there, but it was empty all the same.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! the BWII Destrons/Decepticons/Predacons have one of the most interesting dynamics in all TF media and i will die on that hill
> 
> ps: "maelstroming" is not a word but i don't care


End file.
